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Blair in 'long talks' with Pope
23/06/2007 15:53 - (SA)
Vatican City - British Prime Minister Tony Blair held long talks with Pope Benedict XVI in a Vatican meeting on Saturday, a stop on his farewell tour that has fuelled rumours that he plans to become a Roman Catholic.
The two men met privately for 25 minutes and then were joined for further talks by English Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor.
No immediate details of the talks were given.
Greeted by Benedict, Blair explained that he had just arrived from an EU summit in Brussels.
"I heard it was very successful," Benedict said.
"Yes, we had a very long night. We finished up at 05:30 in the morning," Blair replied.
The Guardian newspaper in Britain, citing unidentified sources, reported on Friday that an invitation for Blair and his wife to join the Archbishop of Westminster, Murphy-O'Connor, for lunch at the Venerable English College in Rome was a signal the Catholic church would take Blair into its fold.
According to The Guardian, Blair would be the first serving prime minister to visit the college, founded in 1579 to train priests for England and Wales, where Catholics then faced persecution.
Difficult decision
In an interview with The Times of London, Blair said on Saturday the issue of his religious beliefs was complex and that he was nervous about discussing his faith with the Pope.
"It's difficult with some of these things," Blair told the newspaper. "Things aren't always as resolved as they might be."
The Vatican press office has called the audience a normal meeting between the pope and a government leader. Blair leaves office on Wednesday.
As for reports that Blair is on the verge of formally becoming a Catholic, a spokesperson for the prime minister repeated the official line that "he remains a member of the Church of England".
Blair, his wife and children met Benedict in a private, hour-long audience a year ago. He also met with Pope John Paul II in 2003.
Blair's wife Cherie is a Roman Catholic, the couple's children have attended Catholic schools and Blair habitually attends Catholic rather than Anglican services.
Cherie Blair, in black dress and black veil, joined her husband and Benedict for an exchange of gifts while photographers snapped photos.
"I sometimes think that all life is lived on film now," Blair remarked.
He presented Benedict with three photos of 19th century English Cardinal John Henry Newman, himself a convert to Catholicism from the Church of England.
- AP
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